Pirongia landfill relocation
8 May 2019
Part of a historic landfill in Pirongia will be relocated to prevent it from spilling rubbish into a local stream.
Waipa District Council, with the support of Waikato Regional Council, is undertaking emergency works to relocate the one hectare landfill, located near Kane Street beside the Mangapiko Stream.
Part of the landfill, which was used more than 40 years ago, was originally established five metres from the stream. However erosion of the stream bank means it is now very close to the water's edge.
Waipa District Council property services manager John Miles said work would be carried out as soon as possible, probably starting next week once everything was in place. Moving the landfill should not pose any risk to the community and residents living nearby had been informed of the planned work, he said.
We will be closely monitoring the relocation and assessing health and safety for contractors, surrounding properties and the community throughout the process.
The landfill was used for standard household waste and was typical of landfills of its time. It was closed in 1990s, capped and grassed over. The area is now used for grazing. Once opened, contents will be moved to a safe distance from the stream, well out of the way of any future errosion, on the same section of land. The work is expected to cost around $150,000 and will be funded by Council.
Miles said the issue was not unique to Waipā.
In the past, landfills across the country were often built beside rivers and streams or near coasts. Some are now beginning to cause problems for communities around New Zealand. We saw this most recently on the West Coast of the South Island when an old landfill washed out on beaches.
Thankfully we've been able to identify this potential issue early and put a plan in place to sort it.